Bootleg

Across the road from Jimmy Liks, Bootleg offers a well designed and relaxed environment that fuses eating and drinking together. Grab a seat at the bar and munch down some chicken liver costini and exquisitely cooked calamari. The olives are expensive (6.50 for a little bowl) but they are definately quality and worth every cent.

Grab a seat further down the back amongst old radios and darkly cool hipster ephemera if you’ve turned up in a group.

While the bar doesn’t have a cocktail list, the Negroni and the Martini are exceptionally well turned out, and I dare say if you know what you like they’d be able to help you with it. The wine list is also quite extensive.

175 Victoria Street
Potts Point NSW 2011
Phone (02) 9361 3884

You can also find them on Google maps here.

Jimmy Licks

On the more salubrious side of Kings Cross station, Victoria St, sits Jimmy Licks; and so do I, propping up the long, thin bar, nursing a Madagascar.

A muddle of rum, blood orange, lemon, sake and campari and tuaca, this fruity filled number starts a need on my palate for Asian fare. Lemongrass and thai basil waft from the kitchen begging indulgence.

Update: the meal itself was phenomenal. The poached chicken salad i will dream about for coming weeks.

188 Victorian St, Potts Point, NSW 2011, Australia‎ – (02) 8354 1400‎

Google Map

The Victoria Room

Old World Elegance

 

Level 1, 235 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Sydney, Australia.

+61 2 9357 4488

Google Map.

Up a set of awkward but seemingly authentic warehouse stairs, lies Sydney’s Victoria Room. 

A stylish eating and drinking affair, the room gets a little crowded, so either get there early enough to get a seat or a pice of the bars real estate, or get your game face on and stare down any number of on-the-cusp tweentie somethings to mark your territory.

I started proceedings with a Rittenhouse Manhattan from the house list. A very generous measure of Rittenhouse Rye, stirred over ice with Cinzano Rosso. It was a smoky wonderful treat, perfect for cutting through the lethargy remaining from my meal. 

Rittenhouse Rye Whisky was originally launched upon the repeal of Prohibition by the Continental Distilling Company of Philadelphia , and was subsequently acquired by Heaven Hill Distilleries, the nation’s largest independent family-owned spirits producer and the second largest holder of aging American Whiskey in the world.

For a follow up, I ordered one of my favorites, the Aviation Cocktail. I prefer mine with Tanqueray stirred over ice with just a dash of Luxardo Maraschino Liquer and around 10 mls of fresh lemon juice. Strained up in a martini glass and icy cold is the way to drink this one.

Traditional recipes may call for the addition of Creme de Violet or as much as 15 mls Maraschino, but I find this overly floral and sweet. The drink originates from the prohibition era, when the gin was made in bathtubs, served in teacups and needed a lot of hiding. Use any of the new style premium gins and you’ll find this a delightful experience.

Overall, the Victoria Room was an average experience, with an overcrowded bar and long waits for service being offset by friendly, engaging staff. I’ll go back and try it again, hopefully on a quieter night.